President Trump’s Accomplishments (7.14.2017)

From President Trump’s inauguration to July 3rd, the VA fired over 500 employees, suspended 200, and demoted 33, as part of President Trump’s efforts to put in place strict transparency and accountability.

22 senior leaders were disciplined.

Pursuing Fair and Reciprocal Trade Deals

President Trump began the process of renegotiating the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement in response to a rising trade deficit and falling U.S. exports.

American First Foreign Policy And Military

Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul from ISIS, a decisive blow that is one more step in fulfilling President Trump’s commitment to defeat them.

President Trump brokered a ceasefire with Russia and Jordan in southwest Syria as part of the U.S.’s commitment to end the conflict in Syria, reduce suffering, and defeat ISIS.

Poland, one of the NATO member countries to meet its defense-spending target of 2 percent of GDP, agreed to buy and deploy the U.S. Patriot missile defense system.

Unleashing our Economic Potential

Job growth beat expectations in July growing by 222,000 jobs in June, 187,000 of which were in the private sector

863,000 jobs have been added since January, 2017, with 821,000 of which were in the private sector

April and May were revised upward, with 47,000 more jobs than previously reported.

16,000 construction jobs were added in June, 79,000 since January

8,000 mining and logging jobs were added in June, 42,000 since January

Already in 2017, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has had 24 record highs, including this week

Eliminating Job Killing Regulations & Wasteful Spending

In a billion dollar opioid fraud crackdown, the DOJ charged more than 400 people, including doctors and medical facilities, who it said were prescribing unnecessary opioids to addicts and fueling the drug crisis

Expedite the permitting and approval processes of LNG terminals and exports, including approving the Lake Charles LNG terminal in Louisiana

Boost oil and gas development on federal lands

Expedite new pipeline approval and production, such as the New Burgos Pipeline to Mexico

Reissue a new Oil and Gas leasing program to develop offshore energy resources

Unleashed oil and gas development by approving Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines

A State Department report estimates the building of Keystone XL alone will create 42,100 jobs, including 3,900 construction jobs, with a total of $2 billion in earnings

In a nod to U.S. manufacturers, President Trump signed an executive order mandating future pipeline work to be done by American workers and with American steel

Signed an executive order to extend offshore oil and gas drilling

President Trump signed an executive order to expedite environmental reviews of infrastructure projects, to jumpstart industry spend and investment

The Trump Administration is cutting onerous, job-killing and often redundant regulations

President Trump signed a bill that eliminated a Dodd-Frank rule that required oil companies like Exxon Mobile to publicly disclose the taxes and fees they pay to foreign governments, which was going to cost the industry as much as $385 million annually

The EPA is reconsidering a rule on greenhouse gas emissions, that’s estimated to cost oil and natural gas operators as much as $530 million annually

President Trump, in keeping his campaign promise to coal miners, rolled back the previous administration’s “Stream Protection Rule,” which targeted the beleaguered industry, with estimated costs of at least $81 million a year

Pursuing Fair and Reciprocal Trade Deals

President Trump began the process of renegotiating the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement in response to a rising trade deficit and falling U.S. exports.

President Trump delivered on his campaign promise to roll back the Obama Administration’s bad deal on Cuba that benefitted the Cuban regime at the expense of the Cuban people

Finalized deal to ship U.S. beef and beef products to China for the first time since 2003, opening up a $2.5 billion market to American ranchers and producers

The first shipment of beef and beef products have arrived in China.

The administration sent a letter to lawmakers in May saying it wanted to renegotiate NAFTA

The U.S. can start talks 90 days after the notification

Withdrew from the Transpacific Trade Partnership

Initiated a probe aimed at determining whether Chinese and other foreign-made steel and aluminum threatens U.S. national security

Chinese exports of steel into the U.S. has captured 26 percent of the market, and Chinese steel imports are up nearly 20 percent over the last year alone

The President signed an executive order directing a review and report of major U.S. trade deficits

To spur U.S. economic growth, the president signed an executive order that requests federal agencies to adhere to “Buy American” laws in their contracts and grants

Transforming the Department of Veterans Affairs

From President Trump’s inauguration to July 3rd, the VA fired over 500 employees, suspended 200, and demoted 33, as part of President Trump’s efforts to put in place strict transparency and accountability.

22 senior leaders were disciplined.

Signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act to allow senior officials in the VA to fire failing employees and establishes safeguards to protect whistleblower

Veterans who appeal a disability claim wait an average of five years for a decision

Hosted a tech meeting with 18 CEOs worth $3.5 trillion in market value to brainstorm ways to modernize the government’s IT systems

According to the American Action Forum, government forms generate 11.4 billion hours of paperwork a year, averaging 35 hours per American

Veterans who appeal a disability claim wait an average of five years for a decision

Veterans Affairs has more than 1,000 different support phone numbers

Announced plans for the Veterans Affairs administration to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Defense Department, ending a decades old problematic rift in sharing information between the two agencies

Signed executive order for veterans to receive other care outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical system

The VA took steps to increase transparency and accountability by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool” to provide veterans a way to access wait time and quality of care data

Secretary David Shulkin announced his intention to expand provisions for urgent mental health care needs to former service members with other-than-honorable (OTH) administrative discharges

American First Foreign Policy And Military

President Trump brokered a ceasefire with Russia and Jordan in southwest Syria as part of the U.S.’s commitment to end the conflict in Syria, reduce suffering, and defeat ISIS.

Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul from ISIS, a decisive blow that is one more step in fulfilling President Trump’s commitment to defeat them.

Poland, one of the NATO member countries to meet its defense-spending target of 2 percent of GDP, agreed to buy and deploy the U.S. Patriot missile defense system.

Proposed the largest increase to the Pentagon’s budget – $54 billion – since the Reagan administration

Signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, to work with other cabinet members to develop a plan defeat ISIS, which was presented to President Trump

Struck an airbase in Syria, after Syrian regime planes used the base to conduct chemical weapons attacks against civilians

During his first international trip, President Trump supported the opening of a new “Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology,” in Saudi Arabia which was created for Muslim-majority countries to combat radicalization

Ordered a review of military readiness and made it the policy of the United States to rebuild the United States’ Armed Forces

The President has lifted restrictions that previously prevented the Secretary of Defense and our commanders in the field from fully using their judgement and expertise

Department of the Treasury sanctioned 25 entities and individuals involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program in order to further monitor and prevent any acts of terrorism

President Trump saved more than $700 million by negotiating and lowering the price of the F-35 fighter which will be implemented into military spending

Achieving a Massive Reduction in Illegal Immigration

Instituted tough immigration policies that drove illegal border crossings by nearly 52 percent compared to the same time last year

The President ordered the hiring of 15,000 new immigration agents, including 5,000 additional border patrol agents

The DOJ transferred immigration judges to six detention centers near the border to work in courts where immigrants have been freed before their cases were heard because of backlog

In the first 100 days after President Trump signed Executive Orders on immigration enforcement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) saw nearly 40 percent more Enforcement and Removal Operations compared to the same time last year

Nearly 75 percent of these illegal aliens have been convicted criminals with offenses ranging from homicide and assault to sexual abuse and drug-related charges

Arrests of convicted criminal aliens climbed by nearly 20 percent in this time compared to the same time last year

In fiscal year 2017, ICE has removed 2,798 criminal gang members, compared to 2,057 criminal gang members in all of fiscal year 2016

ICE has specifically targeted MS-13 criminal gang members for removal on immigration violations

To jumpstart construction on the border wall, the President ordered DHS to use $100 million of unspent appropriations in its account for border security, fencing and infrastructure

On his fifth day in office, President Trump directed executive agencies to employ all lawful means to enforce the immigration laws of the U.S., including clamping down on sanctuary cities

Attorney General Jeff Sessions implemented new charging guidelines to end catch-and-release policies

Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office at DHS so the victims of the criminal acts by illegal aliens will no longer be ignored

Unleashing our Economic Potential

Signed an executive order making it easier for businesses to start and expand apprenticeship programs

A Department of Labor study concluded $60,000 was the average salary of certified apprenticeship programs compared to a starting salary of under $50,000 for a college graduate

Nearly 90 percent of apprentices are employed upon completion of a program

Job growth beat expectations in July growing by 222,000 jobs in June, 187,000 of which were in the private sector

863,000 jobs have been added since January, 2017, with 821,000 of which were in the private sector

April and May were revised upward, with 47,000 more jobs than previously reported.

16,000 construction jobs were added in June, 79,000 since January

8,000 mining and logging jobs were added in June, 42,000 since January

The Institute for Supply Management reported that its June barometer of manufacturing rose to 57.8, surpassing estimates for a gain to 55.3, growing at its fastest pace in three years

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. personal income rose 0.4 percent in May vs. 0.3 increase that was expected

The Conference Board of Consumer Confidence Index increased in June to 118.9 up from 117.6 in May, exceeding economists expectations. In addition, the Conference Board stated consumers’ assessment of current conditions improved to nearly a 16-year high

The Commerce Department announced last month new home prices hit a record high in May

Already in 2017, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has had 24 record highs, including this week

According to June’s CNBC All-America Economic Survey, 54 percent of Americans think their home prices will rise in the next year

Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index said small business owners are the most optimistic since July 2007

About The Editor

Originally from Canton, Michigan, Hank Eckardt graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in Political Science and Spanish. He then moved to Washington, D.C. to work for Congressman Kerry Bentivolio in 2014. After working in political fundraising for 3 years, he began as editor-in-chief of TheLead.com in June 2017.